WSDOT HAS STARTED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT DESIGN STUDY TO ADD A CENTER TURN LANE TO SR162 FROM SR410 TO ORTING

• We need to be sure that they do it in a timely manner

• At completion of study we need to help them fund the project to completion

• We will continue to need your help moving forward

 

CENTER TURN LANE SHOULD BE INSTALLED FOR COMMUTER & RESIDENT SAFETY

• Left turns block traffic along the corridor (140 uncontolled connections on this corridor)

• Center two-way turn lane removes left turners from the traffic flow

  • Rear-end collisions are on the increase, some caused by left turning traffic

• Vehicles entering the corridor turning left onto the highway have a center lane to enter before merging into traffic

• Other Advantages

  • When school busses stop to pick up or drop off students, traffic in opposite direction is not required to stop

  • During gridlocked hours center lane allows emergency vehicles to pass through traffic

 

SHOULDER WIDTH SHOULD BE INCREASED 

• Provides an area for vehicles to exit travel lanes 

  • After minor accidents

  • In case of vehicle breakdowns

  • To yield to emergency vehicles (especially under gridlock conditions)

•  

HIGH CEDARS (Residential Development and Golf Course) AT SR162 NEEDS TO BE A CONTROLLED INTERSECTION

• Support High Cedars efforts to partner with WSDOT to make improvements to this access/egress point of SR162  (sign petition at Golf Club)
• High levels of access and egress to this development and public golf course is creating hazardous traffic conditions for both SR162 travelers and residents and patrons

• The Foothills Trail that parallels SR162 crosses at this uncontrolled intersection posing a hazard to both trail users and motorists

• It is the only high volume access point on SR162 without a traffic light
• Potential life threatening accidents are possible on this 50mph stretch of SR162

 

WHAT IS NOT REALISTIC 

• SR162 between Sumner and Orting WILL NOT be widened into 5 lanes in our lifetime.

• WA State WSDOT focus is moving away from adding more travel lanes

• This corridor in not even on the WSDOT horizon for such a major project in this small corridor.

  • Right-of-way purchase costs would be enormous. 

  • The cost of relocating utility lines would also be cost prohibitive.

  • Water retention issues may take more property acquisitions.

• The solution is to create or improve alternate routes for SR162 traffic

 

WHAT IS REALISTIC

• SR162, between Sumner and Orting CAN NOW BE widened to add a two-way turn lane and wider shoulders USING THE EXISTING RIGHT-OF-WAY and current UTILITY LINE LOCATIONS

  • Not only that, this corridor already has two-way turn lanes in a number of locations as the result of traffic mitigations for adjacent developments

  • 2023 Transportation budget provides funding for a WSDOT design study of this option

 

SPREAD THE WORD

• MAKE THIS TOPIC PART OF YOUR CONVERSATION WITH OTHERS.

• THIS IS AN IMPORTANT ISSUE IN YOUR LIFE, SO SHARE IT AND REQUEST THEIR SUPPORT.

• GUIDE THEM TO OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE.

• WE CAN DO THIS!

• BESIDES, WHAT WILL WE GET IF WE DO NOTHING.........?